About


About B.M.P.T.A.


Welcome to the Bridget Moran Place Tenants Association (BMPTA). We are the collective voice and heart of the community at 668 Powell Street, dedicated to fostering a safe, inclusive, and empowering environment for all residents.

Who We Are

The BMPTA is a resident-led organization representing the tenants of Bridget Moran Place. Our building, located in the vibrant Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, provides 26 units of supportive long-term housing and 35 standard RTA-governed units. Our association works to ensure that every tenant has the opportunity to “grow roots” and create a true sense of home.

Our Mission

Our goal is to build a strong, self-advocating community where neighbors support neighbors. We focus on:

  • Community Building: Organizing house events, communal kitchens, and regular outings to break isolation and build lasting friendships.
  • Advocacy: Providing a unified voice for tenants to ensure our needs and rights are respected in partnership with the Neighbourhood Housing Society (NHS) and RainCity Housing.
  • Empowerment: Supporting one another in personal goals—from health and wellness to volunteering, gardening, and collective pursuits.

Our Namesake: Bridget Moran

Our building is named in honor of Bridget Moran (1923–1999), a social worker, activist, and author who dedicated her life to fighting for social justice and the rights of the marginalized in British Columbia.

Bridget was famously suspended from her job for publicly criticizing the provincial government’s treatment of children and families in need. Her courage, tenacity, and refusal to stay silent in the face of inequality are the values that guide our Tenants Association today. We strive to embody her spirit of social responsibility and compassion within our own walls.

Our Partnerships

While the BMPTA represents the residents, we endeavor to work with the Neighbourhood Housing Society, who owns and operates the building, and RainCity Housing, who provides on-site support. Together, we aim to maintain a space that restores status to devalued people and recognizes that stable, affordable housing is the foundation of physical and psychological well-being, and that tenants rights no matter there rental agreements be they supportive housing or standard RTA rentals.

Bridget Moran Place (BMP) is part of a broader network of organized tenant advocacy. We operate under the following affiliations to ensure collective bargaining power and legal protection for all residents:

  • @TANets Network Member: BMP is a managed member and associated tenants union of the @TANets network. This partnership provides our local association with the organizational resources and strategic support necessary to address systemic housing issues.
  • Vancouver Tenants Union (VTU): We maintain an active partnership and membership with the Vancouver Tenants Union. As part of the VTU, BMP tenants are connected to a city-wide movement of renters fighting for housing justice, rent control, and the right to remain in our community.

For more information on our collective organizing and how to get involved with the VTU, please visit our Welcome to the VTU page.

Inclusion & Accessibility

We welcome individuals from all walks of life, focusing on providing a permanent home for those who have experienced homelessness and are seeking a stable, supportive community to call their own.

Contact the BMPTA If you are a resident looking to get involved or a community member looking to support our initiatives, please reach out via our contact page.

Contact


This website, its ownership, control and administration is not affiliated or an agent of:

RainCity Housing: Reg Canadian Charity: “12711 5780 RR0001”

616 Powell Street
Vancouver, BC V6A 1H4

RainCity Website:

Home

 

OR

NHS / N.H.S. (Neighborhood Housing Society): Reg Canadian Charity: “896110079RR0001”

2014 Wall St
Vancouver, BC V5L 1B1

NHS Website:

Home


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We thank CLASBC for its material support.

 

Visit: https://clasbc.net/


TANets

NHS – Neighbourhood Housing Society

RainCity Housing

Bridget Moran

A History of Management: Bridget Moran Place

 


One comment

  1. Our Partnerships

    Bridget Moran Place (BMP) is part of a broader network of organized tenant advocacy. We operate under the following affiliations to ensure collective bargaining power and legal protection for all residents:

    • @TANets Network Member: BMP is a managed member and associated tenants union of the @TANets network. This partnership provides our local association with the organizational resources and strategic support necessary to address systemic housing issues.
    • Vancouver Tenants Union (VTU): We maintain an active partnership and membership with the Vancouver Tenants Union. As part of the VTU, BMP tenants are connected to a city-wide movement of renters fighting for housing justice, rent control, and the right to remain in our community.

    For more information on our collective organizing and how to get involved with the VTU, please visit our Welcome to the VTU page.


    Technical Report: Governance and Tenancy Structure of 668 Powell St (Bridget Moran Place)


    1. Overview of Property Ownership and Operation

    668 Powell Street is a multi-unit residential building involving three distinct entities. The building is not a single-operator facility; its governance is split between property management, service delivery, and provincial oversight.

    • Owner and Landlord: Neighbourhood Housing Society (NHS). NHS holds the titles and is responsible for building maintenance and rent collection.
    • Service Provider: RainCity Housing. RainCity is contracted to provide support services for a specific subset of units within the building.
    • Primary Funder: BC Housing. BC Housing provides the operating subsidies and sets the terms of the Operating Agreement that governs the site.

    2. Distinction in Tenancy Types

    While 668 Powell Street contains 61 units, they are not governed by the same rules. The building is divided into two distinct categories of housing:

    A. Standard Studio Apartments (35 Units)

    The majority of the building consists of standard self-contained studio apartments. These units are governed strictly under the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) of British Columbia. Residents in these units have standard tenant rights, including:

    • Full protection under RTA regulations regarding evictions, rent increases, and privacy.
    • No requirement to participate in or receive support services as a condition of housing.
    • Standard landlord-tenant relationship directly with NHS.

    B. Supportive Housing Units (26 Units)

    Only 26 units in the building are designated as “Supportive Housing.” These units are funded specifically for individuals requiring on-site assistance. While they fall under the RTA, they are subject to different Supportive Housing RTA Guidelines and provincial policies which may include:

    • Service Agreements: Tenants in these units may have additional agreements regarding the support services provided by RainCity.
    • Operational Differences: These units are subject to different oversight regarding guest policies and wellness checks that do not apply to the 35 standard units.

    3. The Operating Agreement and Functionality

    The relationship between NHS, RainCity, and BC Housing is dictated by a Social Housing Operating Agreement. Under this agreement:

    • Funding: BC Housing pays a subsidy to cover the operational gap between tenant rent contributions and building costs.
    • The “Split” Model: The agreement creates a functional split where NHS manages the physical asset (the “bricks and mortar”) and RainCity manages the “program” side for the 26 designated units.
    • Tenancy Governance: For the 35 standard units, NHS acts as a traditional landlord. For the 26 supportive units, NHS remains the landlord, but RainCity staff manage the day-to-day interactions and support requirements.

    4. Summary of Legal Framework

    Tenants at 668 Powell Street should be aware that their rights depend on which of the two categories their unit falls under. The 35 standard units operate as typical low-income rental housing, whereas the 26 supportive units are governed by the provincial supportive housing framework which allows for more staff intervention and different reporting requirements to BC Housing.


    This report was prepared for the information of tenants and resident associations to clarify the administrative and legal layers of 668 Powell St.

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